Spanish season unlikely to resume before summer, says health minister

The Spanish soccer season, halted like most major sporting competitions due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, is unlikely to return until the summer, the country’s health minister Salvador Illa said on Sunday.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has been bullish about the need to complete the campaign in order to avoid collective losses of up to one billion euros (873.3 million pounds) and has given three potential re-start dates: May 29, June 7 or June 28.

The league has produced a protocol with strict guidelines for clubs to follow when training resumes while Spain’s sports ministry has also set out a plan for a return to action in closed stadiums to boost the local economy.